Posted on 05/01/2024 10:23:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
For years, the general population has believed that people with flat feet are more likely to develop future pain and musculoskeletal issues. The Cube takes a look at a study claiming that this isn't the case after all.
The idea that having flat feet inevitably leads to pain or other musculoskeletal problems goes back centuries.
It was revived during the second half of the 1900s, when US podiatrists popularised the notion of having ‘normal’ feet.
This included the theory that not having a well-defined arch or a straight heel would make your feet abnormal and more prone to injury, because they would experience greater arch flattening while walking, for example.
However, researchers at the University of Québec in Trois-Rivières in Canada claim that the theory is unfounded.
They conducted an editorial study, reviewing the body of research surrounding flat fleet, and found that there was virtually no link between having flat feet and the chance of developing a musculoskeletal disorder such as heel, knee or hip pain.
"If we look at the literature, having flat feet makes you have a higher risk of I think three or four pathologies, that's it," said Gabriel Moisan, professor in podiatric medicine and one of the authors of the study. "But if we take straighter feet, you would be more at risk of developing, let's say three or four other pathologies, and for high arch feet, it will be four different also."
The myth that flat feet make you more likely to develop injuries has often resulted in people having unnecessary medical interventions, and significant concerns among patients about the appearance of their feet.
In fact, asymptomatic flat feet generally don’t need any treatment, according to the study, the authors of which want to set the record straight.
Having flat feet is normal. It's an anatomical variant. You just need to be comfortable with it.
Moisan said that first off, universities need to stop teaching physiotherapists, podiatrists and general practitioners that having flat feet is a problem that will invariably lead to health issues later down the line.
"Then we need to translate or disseminate this information to the clinical world. Because once your studies are over, it's harder to disseminate information," he said. "So clinicians need to stop spreading these misconceptions to their patients.
The hardest part will be convincing people that their flat feet are not problematic, according to Moisan, but he assures patients not to worry about them.
"Having flat feet is normal. It's an anatomical variant. You just need to be comfortable with it," he said.
"You're not more at risk of developing pathologies than someone with - I hate to 'say normal' - let's say rectus or straighter feet," Moisan added. "That's what I tell my patients."
No, this video doesn't show Germany being condemned by the ICJ in Nicaragua's Gaza 'genocide' case
High arches mean boots don’t fit and mobility issues are rampant.
Flat feet may work better for swimming and to medically avoid military service...!
Many more ankle injuries with high arches - as I know well.
My oldest son had the flattest of flat feet. He’s 36 now and just finished a half-marathon, and regularly goes for 10+ mile desert hikes.
“Having flat feet is normal”
He lies! After a lifetime on my feet including track, football, boy scout hiking, delivering mail, the military, traipsing miles and miles on downtown Chicago concrete, etc., both my ankles gave up the ghost. Called “adult aquired flatfeet” in medical terminology. Braces on each foot, handicapped parking placard, ice wraps and advil to sleep every night, pain so persistent it causes nausea sometimes. Severely interferes with quality of life everyday activities. I’d only wish the problem on democrats.
So the guy is FOS!
It used to help prevent lead poisoning when we had a draft.
My wife has flat feet and is the clumsiest person I know. She is constantly tripping over things that would be innocuous to me. And she is constantly complaining about sore knees and hips. She spent thousands of dollars on orthotics to correct her arches and they just made matters worse. Personally I don't think it athink that it is because she has worn ill-fitting shoes all her life. Conversely I was raised barefoot. Sure I wore shoes to the places they were "required", but never relied on them, and couldn't wait to go natural again. I have been able to maintain this lifestyle throughout my almost 68 years. I have never sprained an ankle or had any knee, hip, back, or neck problems common to "normally" shod people.
The myth that flat feet make you more likely to develop injuries has often resulted in people having unnecessary medical interventions, and significant concerns among patients about the appearance of their feet.
My wife has flat feet and is the clumsiest person I know. She is constantly tripping over things that would be innocuous to me. And she is constantly complaining about sore knees and hips. She spent thousands of dollars on orthotics to correct her arches and they just made matters worse. Personally I don't think that it is because she has flat feet, but has worn ill-fitting shoes all her life. Conversely I was raised barefoot. Sure I wore shoes to the places they were "required", but never relied on them, and couldn't wait to go natural again. I have been able to maintain this lifestyle throughout my almost 68 years. I have never sprained an ankle or had any knee, hip, back, or neck problems common to "normally" shod people.
Not true on the military. I have flat feet and served in the Army. You can’t jump out of air planes or be in some combat roles though.
I may harken to a WWII or later “conflict”.
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